


No Chorus Will Come In

by Anonymous



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Snow Queen Fusion, Alternate Universe - Swan Lake Fusion, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 10:16:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15459138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Dark Swan and Snow Queen remix that plays fast and loose with timelines.Elsa of Arendelle left everything behind to find out if the Dark One, von Rumpelstiltskin could get rid of her magic. But instead the wizard is dead and there's only a Swan left at the castle.





	No Chorus Will Come In

AN: This has been a WIP for nearly two years. Title is from a different song, but the mode should be totally read into with Patricia - Florence and the Machine.

 

.

It was probably better this way, Emma thought, as she walked through what was left of her parent’s castle in the downy cloak she’d been in since taking in all of the Dark Ones. While Rumpelstiltskin popped in and out of her vision if no one else was there they couldn’t be _hurt_.

Her family was safe in Storybrook and she was here in the Enchanted Forest as the Dark One.

_Magic has a price, dearie but it’s not one you see so quickly._

Food hadn’t been a problem, nor sleep. It was only when she happened to find a few of the people that avoided the Dark Curse and chased them to the nearby town that Emma truly understood how different she had become. She barely even felt real.

The room her parents made for her was filled over time with the dreamcatchers she made to keep her memories safe. Some of them she didn’t even remember making for hours and looking back at them, they weren’t _her_ memories at all, but of the lives of different dark ones. The figment of Gold showed through a lot when she saw Baelfire.

A Dark Knight that couldn’t help but wreck everything about them. Madalena, evil as she was vain, and dozens more pique through everything she weaved with their stories all incomplete.

The little village was a short walk away and they seemed to be in constant fear of her but protective as they can. She was their problem, it seemed, but Emma was also charged with keeping their marauders away. If this was how Gold felt, she could relate to some of the bitterness he felt.

Nimue, the most insistent voice, told her stories and stories about the dagger and what Emma _should_ be doing. It wouldn’t harm anyone, she said.

(And if the story she’d told about King Arthur as a once brave little boy looked like Henry in her head, it had nothing to do with her avoiding Excalibur like the plague.)

It was days into solitary weeks until someone actually _knocked_ onto her door and the splinter of ice through her stomach afterwards.

.

Elsa shook in trepidation hard enough that snowflakes were falling off her shoulders. She could hardly help running down the line of the bridge over a lake because she was finally _here_ , and could get help to fix this.

The Dark One, von Rumpelstiltskin, was said to be in this castle still after everything. None of the villagers could give her a real answer without drawing too much suspicion on herself but she supposed that he was still locked in the dungeon by Snow White and Prince Charming when the curse came. She knocked on the door and Anna’s quiet little voice whispered in guilt – _okay,bye-_ when the door pulled back faster.

Elsa couldn’t stop the ice from shooting through the girl justlikeAnnajustlikeAnna and screamed.

“I’m sorry, please...” The girl in the grey down cloak shuddered a gasp out as the ice melted. She lost her footing before grabbing onto a suit of armor nearby and her flaxen hair spilled out from beneath the hood.

“Hell of a way to make an entrance.” Elsa stared at her standing up straight again with a gold, glittering magic fading around her torso where the ice had been and looking for all the world like she hadn’t been attacked in a doorway.

“It’s a problem I have. I’ve come to see the Dark One, von Rumpelstiltskin. I am _so_ sorry.”

“I’ll meet you halfway. Rumpelstiltskin is dead,” Elsa nearly sobbed at that. He was the last hope she had to fix everything and herself, “but my name is Emma Swan. I’m the Dark One.” Elsa watched her cringe in more pain at the title than ice tearing through her.

“I suppose there is a lot to explain.” 

They found some stale tea leaves in a cupboard but it served its purpose.

“So the Dark One really is dead.” And it with, all of Elsa’s hopes. Emma furrowed her brows at some sight beyond the window and looked back over at her.

“Not necessarily. Maybe I can help?” She wasn’t convinced.

“If I make a deal-“ A hand and feathers, both, covered her mouth as Emma had  a look of fright.

“ _No_. No deals. I am going to help you get your happy ending because I can. You don’t need to owe me anything, Elsa.”

“Mdme. Swan, even I know that magic always has a price.” Now that Elsa looked closely, there were grey feathers like a gosling sprouting from behind Emma’s ears, occasionally molting like the cloak she was wearing.

“Maybe all of this, everything that happened to you and your sister, couldn’t that be your price already? You want to lose your powers and not gain anything.”

“I would gain everything.” The weak tea, now cold, took up the space of silence between the two of them. Elsa had the palace quiet as a necessity to protect Anna and herself, but there was a different sort of hush here. Like any moment the walls wanted to confess the things it had seen and just couldn’t find the right words. 

“I suppose you would. Please stay in the castle while we figure this out. There’s a village down past the road, but I’m not sure how welcoming they would be to you, they aren’t even to me really and it’s my parent’s kingdom.” They’d only briefly touched on their private lives, all of it too raw and too difficult to explain. In her heart Elsa imagined that if anyone understood being cursed it would be Emma. The castle was cold and drafty…but it would be fine, Elsa thought, as she made her way to the corridor Emma used the most.

“I can’t help but be in your debt, Mdme. Swan even though you might not see it that way.” The fluttering of different colored feathers drew her eyes to a window space where two woven rings were fluttering around in the breeze.

“It’s just Emma. I can get food for you in the morning? I guess I’m not really used to having people around again.”

Before turning down to her bed she looked behind her at the Dark One glowing faintly in the candlelight with bright hair and downy feathers and wondered why someone like _that_ could be a Dark One. Emma was the opposite of everything she’d heard about.

“Good night, Emma.”

.

“My mom-Snow, still weird actually, tried to tell me something when she was cursed and I guess it still sort of makes sense now.” They were walking towards the village for some food for Elsa and trying to hash out just what to do about her magic problem. “That if you put your walls up to protect yourself from harm you can’t have love reach you either.”

“Forgive me, but your mother wasn’t accidently freezing people to death.” Or showcasing the blackest parts of their hearts.

“Your parents took their advice from some trolls that thought taking Anna’s memory was better than explaining things. Trust me Elsa, if there’s one thing that hurts people it’s lying to them.” Emma could see that Elsa was about to retort when the sound of an arrow going through the air started for them.

Before she had to do anything the birds in the trees scattered and a sheath of ice froze the well made weapon in place. A muffled curse and Emma saw the hood of her local pain in the ass. Without much effort she summoned Benno over to her and Elsa for what had to be the seventh time in as many weeks.

“Benno, we’ve been over this. Why?” Of all the people that had been saved during Cora’s intervention of the curse, it was some of Robin’s Merry Men that couldn’t get their crap together. Benno was proving to be just as annoying as Will the Spade except that the other didn’t try to kill her.

“You’re the Great Animal!”  Emma rolled her eyes and dragged Benno up.

“I’m not an animal! No one’s an animal- even if they were you can’t just kill them!” The clutch of arrows and bow were magic out of Benno grasp and onto her shoulder. Snow hadn’t taught her much about how to use them (she preferred sword and guns) but they were going to join Benno’s other collection of contraband.

“Now I’m serious, leave. I’ve covered when the Sheriff of Nottingham came looking but professional curtesy’s going to win out if you keep trying to kill me.” Elsa’s ice was melting now that the situation was controlled but she seemed to be retreating more into herself.

“I _am_ leaving. A number of us are leaving your reign,” Elsa blinked at her and back to the failed hunter. Emma knew her reign mostly included a few failed trips to get information and set herself up at their impromptu Sheriff when others came calling. That, and one very disappointing conversation with the breadmaker and his wife who couldn’t understand what a Bearclaw was. Benno continued, “ for Camelot. King Arthur might better appreciate those of us that know a monster when we see one.”

Nimue’s phantomlike hand cupped Emma’s ear- _a broken sword for a broken kingdom_. _Fix it._

“I can’t imagine another would want a subject such a you. The valor in your men and women can only be matched by what they see in others,” Else seemed to have a point to make if the certainty in her voice meant anything. Dimly Emma was aware that Else had mentioned she had her coronation, but after having met so many royals that meant nothing really. She spoke with the same certainty as Regina had so maybe there was something to it. Her and Charming never seemed to catch on.  “From what I understand Emma had offered you protection, you rejected it. She gave you forgiveness and you offered spite.” Emma put her hand on Elsa’s shoulder and seemed to startle her out of whatever rage she was building up to.

There were little snowflakes dancing around the wind and Benno looked like he was starting to shiver.

“Maybe Camelot might be better for you, Benno. Tell Lancelot I said hi!” She screamed as he scrambled away from the two.

“You wanna tell me what that was about?”

“All etiquette tells how to treat others below and to your station. That is all.” Emma didn’t buy that for a second. The Elsa she’d seen panicky last night was all feeling. This Elsa sounded like she was reading for a book to given the best answer.

“You’re lying.”

“Does being the Dark One also mean being a truthssayer?” Even more to the cut and Elsa wasn’t looking at her at all.

“No, that special power’s all my own.” The rest of the trip was done quietly as they walked through the town and gathered supplies, mostly for Elsa to live and eat. Some gold to a daring boy and he would courier some new supplies every couple of days. 

The lake before her parent’s castle was in sight when Elsa spoke to her again.

“My powers were discovered at my coronation. I was scared. My sister was startled…but my people were afraid.” It was the end of that conversation even as they walked over the bridge to the castle, the waters underneath spreading out as ice shown up.

“Huh, that’s interesting.” Emma leaned over to watch the ice spread unlike any magic (or any ice really that she’d seen before). Some teacher mentioned once that all snowflakes were different but the pieces of it seem to be amplified.  It looked like Elsa knew her powers were provoked by her emotions. Emma couldn’t figure out what had caused such a desperate measure as losing her powers if all the damage from her coronation had been solved already.

“It’s a Cesaro fractal, the water looks to be too deep for me to change it without trying so it spreads over.” Emma glanced over at the Queen who was leaning over peering at the thin ice that was floating on top of the gentle waves. She, at least, seemed to know what she was talking about.

“ Fractal like math?” Elsa turned over and smoothed her finger down the damp banister, several larger snowflakes popping up into the air.

“Snow is ice, and ice follows its own construction we can describe as fractals. The algebra of it all can only describe so much. Most depictions of snowflakes are based on the Koch fractal pattern and symmetry.” Emma blinked and touched one of the dancing snowflake-A _Koch_ , really.

“This entire time your power has been _math?!_ Your ice- everything?” Elsa spluttered something that it was more than that, and no really, ice was the power but Emma kept on staring down at the now melting sheet.

“I was stabbed by an equation!”

“I said I was sorry about that!”

The castle looked brighter in the daylight, less haunted, and Elsa smiled as she followed Emma in her grey cloak through the doors and a little lump in her throat.

.

Emma stopped her pacing and side-eyed the …snow men? troop that was stomping around the courtyard. She had been inspecting the gallows area of clues from the villagers; Cora had in fact been around and they weren’t sure how many of their loved ones were Cursed with a capital C or dead because of her. There has been a real breakdown in order after Regina dragged most of the population away.

The little guys were oblong shaped and seemed to be moving around pieces of furniture (and pieces of themselves) from one end of the castle to the other. Else has mentioned moving some stuff around for more access but Emma thought she meant like a chest.

Elsa followed a little bit behind.

“What are you doing?” they’d asked each other in tandem.

“I needed help to move and didn’t want to inconvenience you.” One of the snowmen, a dopey looking thing, was juggling itself around to move forward and bouncing a chest of scrolls from one point to another across the courtyard. Anything that might have followed was hushed by the sound of horses trotting over to the opened gates of the castle. Else looked a bit shook at the intrusion, even as Emma walked over to the Sheriff and his men.

“Morning Sheriff. You’re a bit earlier than you mentioned.” The Sheriff of Nottingham was one of the few that had been left in the world and part of the reason she’d been checking over the gallows for the better part of a few days. He was an ass but he kept something that resembled order in Sherwood Forest in the lapse of everything else.

“Good Morning to yourself, _Sheriff_.” He’d called her princess only once. He’d dismounted while his men idled by. “I don’t suppose you have any news on your dead?” Emma rolled her eyes to Else before gesturing for her to wait a minute.

“You’re the one that had a pact with Cora while she was hanging around in the forest. Lancelot’s not all that pleased with you and I _know_ Aurora doesn’t want you anywhere near her kingdom. I get this feeling,” but maybe it wasn’t a feeling and instead Rumpelstiltskin _telling her_ , “that if there was anyone that was dealing with Cora, it would have been you. Do _you_ have any other people to find?”

“It is terribly unlady like to threaten others about things they know nothing about. Maybe if you’d simply stopped being so frigid and let a man- “ Whatever he was going to say go lost in the face full of snow one of Elsa’s snowman. The horses got startled the second clouds darkened and Elsa created another snowman.

Snow _monster_.

Nottingham scowled and moved back to his horse for them to leave.

“Leave your dead unfound, then. Are you still hiding traitors to the crown and thieves?” Emma smiled as sweetly as she’d been able and told him Benno had left. As they were alone again and Elsa’s snowcreatures disappearing into the air, Emma smiled a bit nicer to the Queen.

“Thanks, but I had that.”

“It sounded like he wanted to have that, too.” She snorted and pat the head of the last snowman.

“You’re using your powers more,” Emma told the other woman who seemed startled to realize. “Is it because you’re more comfortable or did you just realize you couldn’t really hurt me?” There were few ways to make a more dramatic “hello” than a spike of ice through the liver.

“I…you looked like you needed help.” Emma hmmed and stared at the gallows again.

“You tried to help me the same way you hurt your people?” Elsa turned so fat her braid couldn’t keep up.

“How dare you. I never meant to hurt your or Anna! I can’t control what’s wrong with me.” As the Queen became more and more frantic the snow around her started to appear again.

“Elsa, look at you. Are you helping or hindering? Is it actually your ice that’s the problem?”  Emma knew then that she’d gone too far when tears started glistening in Elsa’s eyes as angry as she was. All the carried away objects fell to the ground when Elsa stormed off.

Somehow it became colder after she was gone.   

.

“So,” Emma had this habit of starting to speak and then shoving food in her mouth. If she’d had not dealt with Kristoff and Sven before, Elsa would have tried to reprimand her for it. “You froze your city, froze your sister, but that got fixed. What happened after?” They were in what remained of the library looking for a clue on how to get rid of magic- hers, specifically.

“I’m a problem for my people.”

“Nah. Calling bull on that one too.”

“You really shouldn’t have food near books.” Emma rolled her eyes and finished off the apple in hand. They’d guessed that the library might be a decent start, even if there weren’t too many tomes on magic-or whatever they were. The small cache of books on the subject had been left there by either the Blue Fairy or Regina (Emma hadn’t been able to determine which).

“They’ll be fine; some books have survived a lot of crap. If you want my help you need to let me know how. Did you leave any troll-pops back in Arandelle?” She glowered over at the dark one who seemed comparatively unphased. It was a striking different to how Anna had treated her and coddled over everything to be well.

“…and while I might not be as smart as Rumplestilskin, I do know how to read you know. Everything you’d pick up hasn’t been about your powers but about folklore stuff. Things that pirates-well, I mean anyone I guess, would want to steal.”  She did that every now and then, Elsa realized as Emma frowned over at a vacant spot near the door. Like there was a spectere lurking about that only she could see.

Maybe there was.

“I cursed my people.” _That_ drew in Emma’s full attention. The apple core vanished away.

“How?”

“There’s a mirror; it’s…I don’t even know why we had it in the first place. Kristoff took it out when Anna wanted to go through some old things in the palace and...” It was hard to describe. When she had been alone that was her choice to keep everyone safe around her. The way the mirror felt, it felt like pure attention on her that she couldn’t look away from.

It started whispering in her head, Elsa realized too late.  About how Anna didn’t forgive her, Kristoff never trusted her, that every smile from a guest was a grimace in fear. She was calm enough to realize the mirror could only pray on fears that were there but the memories were real too. That first night when everyone flinched away from her and the ice couldn’t be taken away.

Elsa shifted the book she was reading over to Emma, pointing at a passage.

“Shattered Sight. It’s a mirror that showed the worst in everyone. I broke it and let all the bad out in my people.”

“You broke a mirror? What does that have to do with losing your powers.” Elsa frowned and snapped the book shut.

“Everything. We’ll get rid of the ice inside me and Arenadelle will be normal again. It showed the _truth_ , Emma, that I was something that was justifiably feared.” Elsa stood to leave when Emma grabbed her arm.

“It doesn’t, not really you know. People…they’ll do whatever they need. I don’t think you sister holds anything against you.” Emma took a deep breath and stood taller grabbing her other arm.

“And even if she did, she _can._ She can hold on to the things that hurt her and still be your sister. It’s okay and it’s human.” She frowned, still, and stared at the women in front of her. It bother Elsa terribly that Emma walked around in little better than roughspun clothing for reasons she couldn’t explain (and didn’t think the mirror would have an answer for that either). She reached into her pocket for the small piece that stayed close and had been still making her heart clench.

Elsa put the shard of the mirror in Emma’s palm and closed it.

“Feel this and tell me anything about it is human.” The glass shard touched both of their skins and pressed without drawing blood. She hadn’t let the shard embed in her skin but it was all the same in potency as had the ones that dug into everyone around it.

Emma held the piece with curiosity. She blinked and looked over at her with her bright eyes and a small smile.

“This can’t tell me anything I hadn’t already thought about myself.”

“And isn’t that just worse.” Elsa’s words tasted like ash as they went back to the books, only a few answers to help rid her of her magic.

.

You should have killed him, Rummpletstiltkin says to her as she chased the Apprentice away; _again_ and this time, someone saw. Elsa saw her chase away a meddling old man that couldn’t keep his destinies and his fates away from people. Like hell was he going to get anywhere near Henry or have the nerve to ask her about Merlin.

“That’s- You know what, I don’t want you to know who that is.” Emma wanted to tear everything apart, every stupid person that was involved in this running of her life. Rumplestiltskin disappeared for a minute and was replace with Nimue who just raised an eyebrow.

“You seem angry.”

“I’m not.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe you. I suppose that rock is just cracking under your hand because it’s weak. If Snow White was speaking to you about your proverbial walls, well they are still here.” Elsa acted aloof, like she didn’t _care_ if the only other person in the castle was on the warpath- which she _wasn’t_.

“I heard him mention someone named Henry, before you threw him out. Is he your…Well I suppose there are other things in your life besides this castle.” Elsa walked closer to Emma not feeling the need to slow down against any not-signs of anger.

“Henry’s not a boyfriend. He’s my son.” Emma saw Elsa frown like trying to puzzle something out. “It’s a longer story than you think. Short version is that Henry believed in me and believed that I would do the right thing for people. A sort of optimism you can’t really explain.”

“And now? Has he thought different now that you’re the Dark One?”If there was one thing Emma hated (and Nimue, and Rumpelstiltskin , and nearly everyone else in her head) was the looks of sympathy. _She_ had done everything, mostly to herself, and what was worse is that she did it for the right reasons.

(Henry deserved at least one Mother.)

“I haven’t seen any of my family since I took the Dark Ones powers. They… the magic, it brought me here to this world away from my own. Even if I wanted to reach out I couldn’t.” Emma didn’t know if that was quiet right either. She was born in this very castle and everything about herself was made here. The reasons she had always been out of place a kid were because she had _been_ out of place.  The Queen had been cool to her since the mirror’s fragment came out and the dark thoughts whispered around in her head and left with a simple nod.

Scaly fingers held against her shoulders even as she watched the other woman leave her in silence. It was a usual feeling to be left alone.

“Dearie I’m going to do something for you. Not too many have been keen enough to know what kind of trouble that Apprentice happens upon and you’ve done well with keeping him away from the boy.” It was harder to deal with Rumplestiltskin because she understood why he’d done everything as he had. Neal was dead and now so was his father. It was getting easier to understand what Rumpelstiltskin gave as truth and Mr. Gold had always been fond of Henry.

“I should have kept Henry safer.”

“You’re not near him and that is enough. Trust me Emma, I know a desperate soul when I see one. In my vault I have a cup and a sip from it will destroy magic. If _you_ drink it I doubt you’d die but the pain would be terrible, tee-hee. The Queen on the other hand…” Rumplestiltskin stared down the trail of books and pages. “Yes, you’d be better to take a deal from her.”

“No. No deals. I will help because I can.” Because her son still thought she could bring their happy ending to them. Rumplestitlskin plucked a feather from behind her ear.

“That’s what you say until there is not much left of you. Does the Apprentice know about your brief time with Merlin before you hide yourself away in this castle?” Emma didn’t like to think about her time wandering around the enchanted forest before deciding to simply stay in the castle. She’d been lost in more than one way.

“A deal, Emma, I’m telling you for your own good. Prices always need to be paid and terms first.” She left the castle and glanced over her shoulder. Elsa could be seen through the windows taking a respite from reading and holding onto the mirror.

She could do this for a _friend_.

.

Elsa was at a standstill with Emma having gone and run off for a few days. She’d already been given leave to use or visit whatever parts she’d like as long as everything and she was kept safe and had already explored most of it. When her parents were lost to the sea the servants and Lord Regent had taken the efforts to put the material value of their lives away. It was as it life had been paused here.

It was the room with the most dreamcatchers that had caught her interest the most.

The room itself was a gilded sort or yellow is in disuse and wear, but clearly made for a child. It was a nursery Emma herself never got to use and instead it housed memories. Over the crib, hanging next to the mobile, was one of the dreamcatchers that looked unfinished.

The cord and strings were light, almost as silver as the unicorn that was sparkling next to it. Elsa ran her finger down the paths more beautiful that a spider web and _saw-_

A sword in Emma’s hand into the heart of a Dragon.

The curiosity that had brought her closer to the mirror Elsa chased down the line of thread trying to see more of the women that was helping her fight this. A single bead was woven in and the vision came back, different now, but magnificent.

It was the lake- this _castle_ , in fact. The silhouette could only have been Emma but everything about her was different; gone were the roughspun clothes and air of moss that clung like a damp towel. Emma was in a pink and ermine cloak, dressed in some of the finest ivory Elsa had ever seen. Her hair, not hanging in her face, carefully braided with a signet crown almost as gold as her hair.

She was staring at the castle and standing taller, _prouder_ , and in her hand was the same sword.               

Elsa blinked and there was no more to that vision. In fact, there was no more to the day. Where the sun had been illuminating the room everything was now creeping in my shadows and billowing the dusk weather. There was Emma, too, on the terrace, leaving against the door and calmly taking in Elsa’s wake-up. Nothing had changed about the Dark One but if Elsa blinked and tilted her head the setting sun brought that blush of pink to Emma.

“Forgive me if this was too intrusive.” Even as Emma shrugged Elsa wished that there was more of a response that she could get from her host.

“I’d said everything’s open. Some of these aren’t memories, though, if you’re looking to ask about it,” Emma closed the space between them and idled the bead around the thread, “some were about possible futures. Things that most likely would never happen and the roads that lead to them.”

As quick as a spider, Emma ripped the bead out of the dreamcatcher and tore the cord til it hung in a limp mess. Elsa grabbed the dreamcatcher before anymore of it could be destroyed. The Dark One threw the bead to the floor and it rolled around til it stopped close to the door.

“Get some sleep. I know exactly how we’re going to get rid of your power tomorrow. Then you can go back to Arandelle, to your sister, and live happily ever after.”  Else clasped the strings closer to remember the Emma she’d seen.

.

Emma placed the pitch black cup on a table between them and poured some water into it. There was a puff of smoke and the discharged settled around the rim. It looked like poison and if the expression on Elsa’s face meant anything she’d thought the same.

“I take a sip from this and I lose my powers.” Emma shrugged.

“It eats magic. I…I don’t really know what it would do to you.” She felt a chasm come between them for a second. While Elsa was around she hadn’t felt alone or like a monster. She was…Elsa. As Emma watched the Queen contemplate the grail she mourned for a second everything she’d seen from the other women. How happy the frozen ice fractals had made her and the flurries that would come when she laughed.

“I suppose then the real question is how much of me is me and how much are my powers.” Elsa removed her gloves and stared at her hands. “What would you do? What lengths would you go through to make your problems go away?” _Prices_ that awful voice whispered in her ear.

Emma bit her lip and removed the dagger from where she’s kept it, lying it down so Elsa could read her name on it.

“This is the power of the Dark One. Who ever kills me with it takes my place and I get to haunt them forever after. It can also be used to command the Dark One into following the holder’s bidding. I’m pretty much a slave to this thing.” Elsa had been moving to touch it until she’d said that last bit.

“My problem won’t go away with a magic phrase or, or I don’t know true loves kiss. Problems get fixed when you face them and let everyone know what you’re really feeling. If you’re angry, be angry. If you’re remorseful, _show_ _it_ but Elsa I don’t think getting rid of something that makes you so you will make anything different.”

Elsa closed her eyes and tipped the goblet upside down, spilling the tainted water everywhere.

“You make it sound easy to say sorry to everyone that’s afraid of me.” Emma smiled, and reminded her that nothing was easy.

“Give me a day to think about this?” She could see that the Queen was struggling for her choice. There were too many things going on in her head, too many options to see and Elsa didn’t have the benefit of weaving those thoughts away.

“Tomorrow then.” The Queen was turning away, “I just need you to do something for me.” Emma could see her tense and anticipate the price for all of this.

“It’s easy to be afraid and doubt everything. I just wanted you to understand that…well that I trust you.” Emma closed her eyes at the dull roar of anger from the Dark Ones, and passed her dagger into Elsa’s hands.

“Emma, I can’t…”

“Elsa, I _trust_ you. I am going to trust you until you’ve learned to trust yourself.” Snow had been right about the walls around her. If it made the dark in her angry and sound like her family, then Emma knew it was the closest thing to the right thing she might ever be able to come to. Leaving the Queen to be alone and think everything over, Emma felt free.

There was no push to weave memories of things, no Dark Ones spinning doubt in her head, and no judgement from others.

.

It was early evening when Elsa finally came down to the castle’s entrance having left the Dark Ones’ dagger in her room next to the mirror shard and the bead of the dreamcatcher in its place. She’d seen Emma over the past several weeks from her stay as different. The happiness to help, the hot anger, and especially when the Dark One tried so hard not to show every emotion collapsing all over her face.  That was the very person Elsa was looking at now while watching Emma send away the Sheriff of Nottingham once again with neither party winning.

Emma was angry and upset…and her bright eyes stayed on her as she walked down the steps and closer to the retreating figure.  

“Elsa?” Nothing matched what she’d seen in that dreamcatcher except the smile. Without another word, Elsa grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled them over to the lake that was quickly darkening at night.

“I made my choice, Emma!” Elsa smiled again and pulled Emma forward and stepped down onto the water’s edge to make the ice for them to stand on. Another pull of the woman and she was on as well with the water needlessly cascaded as they floated more and more into the lake.

“Ha!” Emma slipped off the ice and nearly tripped into the water having danced a bit too far from Elsa when the queen just added more beneath her feet and swung her around.  The moon was full over the lake now and was bright enough for them both see past their clumsy dancing on the water into the night.  The ice, sheened and spiked around was aglow from the moon and Emma’s magic glittering at times.

“Enough with this. I’ve had it with this dowdy thing.” Feeling terribly brazen Elsa smirked and twirled Emma around and grabbed the hideous garment by the collar and twisted it off of her, tossing it off their floating stage and half into the water. The downy grey feathers were still clinging to the rough spun linen of Emma’s dress.

She’d never danced like this before and as Emma’s eye widened as if she was getting the point too, Elsa removed her royal purple cape as well. In a blink and you’d miss it moment, Emma wore one of her mothers dresses, white and delicate which suited her so much more.

“After I’d accidently frozen Arendelle, Anna made me learn how to dance. It was peaceful, for a time. You were right in that it wasn’t my powers that made everything end up the way it did. For all that I said I trusted Anna I didn’t believe her or Kristoff. Even my own creations I felt were a lie.” Time away made all of her problems seem smaller and away from all the hate she’d accidently brought to her people. Sharing everything with Emma to this point had been easy like finally taking that breath of air.  The dance was over and it felt like a confessional. Emma’s soft step towards her made a little noise on their own little island of ice and snow.

“The mirror shattering was enough to see the worst in everyone again.” Emma grabbed her hand as they looked over the castle together.

“Then I will still help you. We’ll find a way to fix the damage the mirror had done.” The grey feathers were gone, now, and replace with pristine plumage of a white swan.

It was be just another moment of bravery, Elsa thought, trapped in themselves only and the rest of the world far away and quiet. She squeezed Emma’s hand tight and with the other cupped Emma’s face wanting everything about her focus.

A beat, and  then another when Emma didn’t pull away.

Elsa leaned up and kissed her and bumped noses when they tried again. More than ardor Elsa enjoyed kissing every smile on Emma’s face and their giggles after.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
